Lecture 5 - Wellbeing and personality Flashcards
(41 cards)
In terms of health, what can personality influence?
- vulnerability to physical/ psychological illnesses
- How we experience such illnesses
- likelihood we seek support
- recovery and outcome
What are the 4 models of links between personality and health
- Direct link
- correlational link
- Behavioural link
- Illness impacts personality
Outline the direct link between personality and health
Personality has a CAUSAL role in health and illness
- people can be ‘disease prone’ - get psychosomatic conditions like Stomach Ulcers, CHD
- PERSONALITY -> BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES -> ILLNESS
Outline the correlational link between personality and health
- Biological activities influence personality and they also influence illness
- e.g. matthews (2003) - genetic relationship between vulnerability to CHD and hostility
Outline the behavioural link between personality and health
Personality traits infulence our behaviours
- our behaviours subsequently influence our risk for certain illness
- E.g. if you are a sensation seeker, you are more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviour
Outline how having an illness may result in changes in our personality
- stuff like alzheimers, chronic conditions, illness in childhood
- can make us depressed/ anxious
- lead to psychosocial adjustment and sociability
What has research shown about the link between the Big 5 and health?
- shown there are relationships between the two
- evidence that lower levels of conscientiousness linked to lower treatment adherence
What were Smith (2006)’s 4 main features that influence how we cope with an illness
- Role of anger and hostility (influences treatment adherence)
- Social Dominance - how much control they have over situation. Can support them if they feel in control - do things to help achieve this
- Neuroticism and negative affect
- Optimism
What has research found about the relationship between Neuroticism and health
- reduces life expectancy
- increased chances of serious physical disease
- damages physical health over time
Define somatic symptom disorders
Physical complaints with no identifiable medical cause
- chronic pain, hypochondriases, body dysmorphia
What link has neuroticism been made to somatic symptoms?
A link has been made between neuroticism and the experience of somatic symptoms
How does optimism interact with health?
optimists are less susceptible to depression and anxiety - they tend to live longer
- if an optimist is feeling depressed/ anxious, they will go to lengths to find out why
- more likely to help themselves/ seek therapy
What were scheier & Carver (1987) findings about optimist
Optimists report fewer physical symptoms, recover better from major surgery and report few complications
What are the issues with regards to personality and health research?
X - cause and effect, it could be psychological reaction to diseases instead
X - self-rated symptoms - vary, some people will rate the same symptoms differently. What earns you sick leave in one job is different in another job
X - studies show correlations but dont explain why
What did Williams et al (2011) look at in terms of Type D personality?
Explored Type D personality (distressed) and illness beliefs and behaviours
- perceive themselves as being more ill than those who werent type D
- evidence of how personality can influence ILLNESS BEHAVIOURS
Outline The role of stress in influencing personality behaviours
Ability to cope with stress is an important mechanism here
- it is a response to perceived demands (not to the situation)
- resilient individual will have a more positive outcome from illlness
- vulnerable individual will have a more negative outcome, but can be made to be positive
What are the 3 diathesis-stress models?
- Health behaviour models
- interactional stress models
- Transactional stress models (exposure)
Outline Smiths (2006) health behaviour model as a model of the influence of stress on illness
Personality causes:
• health behaviours
• appraisal of stressful situation
• coping strategies
- negative affect could lead to negative appraisal, and negative coping strategies (like drugs)
Outline the interactional stress model
Personality moderates our physiological responses to stressful circumstances
- not saying that personality links to appraisal, coping etc
- just saying it can moderate them and influence them
- Personality, coping and appraisal all interact to cause the physiological response, which then influences illness
Outline the transcational stress model
again not saying personality causes anything
- just says personality can influence exposure to stressful circumstances
- e.g. an extrovert is more sociable and outgoing, this means they expose themselves more often to stressful situations, like public speaking
- introverts avoid this (coping mechanisms)
on other hand:
- introverts may get really anxious and nervous and run away - may influence illness
- wheras an extrovert may enjoy it
Who came up with LOC
Rotter (1966)
What are the links between LOC and psychological and physical disorders?
- Depression and suicide
* therapy and quality of life in illness
Define self-efficacy
Degree of confidence in our ability to perform a particular task. n order to achieve a positive outcome
- related to motivation and persistence in recovery
- important mediator between stressful life events and depressive symptoms
Define personality disorders
enduring, maladaptive patterns of behaviours and cognitions, that deviate markedly from what is expected and accepted
- effects interpersonal relationships as well
- inflexible, stable, not a result of another psycholgical disorder/ substance
